It's hard to miss the huge pink presidential palace, which faces the cathedral, but unfortunately it is not open to the public. Two bored guards do a great job of keeping tourists from snapping pictures, when they aren't surfing Facebook. In 2003 the palace was the site of some excitement, when it was seized by the military in a coup attempt. No one was hurt, and the coup was peacefully resolved. Leve leve!
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Cão Grande
19.09 MILES
The Great Canine is the poster image of São Tomé, and an awesome sight. An enormous tooth of rock 663m high, it is a hardened column of magma, the remains…
Claudio Corallo Chocolate Factory
0.57 MILES
Claudio Corallo is both an extraordinary person and a local institution. For over 40 years this native Italian has pursued an overriding passion for…
Praia dos Tamarindos
7.72 MILES
One of the island's best beaches, a beautiful white crescent facing an emerald sea, with excellent swimming. An easy drive from the capital, it's empty…
Praia Bateria
28.2 MILES
So perfect it stops you in your tracks, this cute little beach is a scallop of sand wedged between long walls of rock. Swimming here is like being in your…
Roça Agua Izė
8.17 MILES
One of the original 'Big Five' roças of São Tomé, this was the plantation that kicked off the cocoa industry in STP, and it still farms the bean, albeit…
Nearby São Tomé attractions
1. Nossa Senhora da Graça Cathedral
0.06 MILES
While fairly humble as cathedrals go, the Nossa Senhora da Graça is one of Africa's oldest, and a testimony to persistence, as it has been destroyed and…
2. Mercado Grande
0.28 MILES
Alternately fascinating and repellent, the Mercado Grande is divided into two cavernous and adjacent halls, the Mercado Municipal and the newer, and…
3. CACAU
0.46 MILES
The Casa das Artes, Criação, Ambiente e Utopias (House of the Arts, Creativity, Environment and Utopias) is an ambitious attempt to create a true cultural…
4. Claudio Corallo Chocolate Factory
0.57 MILES
Claudio Corallo is both an extraordinary person and a local institution. For over 40 years this native Italian has pursued an overriding passion for…
5. São Sebastião & Museu Nacional
0.64 MILES
São Sebastião is a small fort that houses the national museum, a few rooms of artifacts simply presented. The eclectic, somewhat decaying collection, in…
6. Roça Bela Vista
3.31 MILES
While this roça (plantation) is modest in size, its buildings are in very good condition relative to those found elsewhere, and include the large manager…
7. Roça Agostinho Neto
6.46 MILES
Once the grandest plantation in STP, Agostinho Neto is now the grandest symbol of its decline. The impressive entrance, a wide boulevard leading to the…
8. Ilhéu de Santana
6.94 MILES
This interesting island, which faces Santana Resort, is unique in that a natural tunnel runs straight through the centre of it. Boat trips operated by the…